Be Our Guest [Open]

[Akako]

• • 
    It was boring, oh so, boring. Nothing to fear. Nothing except the hunger in her head that was as constant as her heartbeat. But, even then, even with that ever present, invasive need, she'd learnt to embrace it. Curb it. It was all so boring.
    
    See, see, how bored she was? She's even gone and set up a hookah, one that was supposed to be for the Caterpillar and not the Queen of Hearts. Mint shisha brought about a pleasant, refreshing aroma to her corner of the Wonderland Cafe. She was smoking just because. "This is all your fault," she says to no one in particular.
    
    The Wonderland Cafe was filled, as it often was, with customers for business both legal and otherwise. She waved away a hopeful looking, balding man who thought himself worthy to speak to the queen though.
    
    A scoff.
    
    The queen was picky about who she interacted with, after all. Only the best of the best who she could benefit from. Or the lowest of the low that she could use. Often, even the richest and most powerful of her clients only faced a messenger. They were such pathetic swine, business people who haven't lifted a finger to work in their entire life. So spoiled and sheltered. They'd be lucky if she allowed them to shine her shoes.
    
    But, there, Aika sat alone at the Queen of Heart's throne. Although two card guards stood ever vigilant on either side of her, they could be decoration for all she cared in this moment. What she wanted was interesting company. Twisting the hookah's hose around the length of her arm, she lifts the mouthpiece for a huff. The other hand comes down to press a button on her headset, asking Arisu a simple: “Do I have any more appointments today? Any documents to sign?” To which the blonde replies in the negative.
    
    It doesn't really matter. Even a meticulous woman like her can tire of paperwork. Although a business dealing or two could have helped with her boredom. But for now, her eyes wander the cafe, looking to see if anyone caught her interest.

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• • Out of Character Notes
    • Open to those not joining Wool and Water.

 

[Kumori]

The Wonderland Café.​

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You could always find the most amazing people there, from the most grotesque worms, to the most majestic birds… and sometimes even a queen or two if you were lucky enough. Lately interest had been decreasing, the place was always half empty rather than full, always gloomy, and in a way, cloudy.

Today was just another day.

Kumori woke up late, and silently made his way through the Mineshaft and towards the Wonderland Café, like he did almost every other day. Something had happened, there was something, or someone new in the vicinity that had brought much attention, and the boy, naturally, was interested in learning. The night before, he had learned, a small group of academy students made its way to the Wonderland Café for who knows what, and while he was very much interested in attending the event, private or not, he had been busy with his brother Ryu at the time. But today was another day, and today he would learn what he did not a day before.

He was not someone to be easily noticeable due to his transparent façade and gloomy appearance that seemed to blend with the crowd around him. This time there wasn’t much of a crowd, similar to most days at the Mineshaft, so the boy had to take drastic measures... and by drastic, it meant to just be his true self. He entered the Café through the front door, though he did not walk his way in, but rather float like a cloud of smoke, or in this case, vapor, blending with that the queen was smoking.

Mint.

It smelled nice, and the remnants of smoke were quite tasty. The more a light shines, the darker the shadows around it, and thus because of this truth, Kumori hoped that not a soul would notice him.

Today was just another day.

With that thought in mind, the boy, dressed as a cloud of mint-flavored vapor, made his way towards the Queen of Hearts. He wasn’t sure if the best course of action would be to talk to her, or to simply remain silent and watch… he was quite good at watching. Who knows what secrets she could tell?

“You must be the so-called queen everyone is talking about.” – The boy whispered for her to hear, his gigantic ear-to-ear smile the only part of him visible through the vapor near the ceiling. He had pulled off his mask just for that very moment, in hopes to startle her with his floating smile… though he meant no disrespect, and if anything turned bad, he was ready to pull his pants up and flee.

 

[Akako]

• • 
    Aika was hardly startled. On the contrary, she had been aware of the lad's presence the moment he stepped into her little kingdom. As a Dark Sage, who was intricately and intimately knowledgeable with the dealings of Death, one who walked close to it such as he, would have been a lantern in a bleak plain of existence.
    
    Although, she paid it no heed at first, letting it be a pinprick at the back of her mind, it was pulled to the forefront the moment Kumori chose to approach her.
    
    The woman tilted her head to the side in the faintest sign of intrigue. Although, at the moment, her eyes bore into the smoke the sneaky, little thing occupied. Taking in a deep drag from her pipe, she blew more of the minty vapour in his general direction. "You could say that. But I would be careful with how you phrase things, kitten. If I were so easily offended, this so called queen would be asking royalties from you," she drawled, with one last huff in his direction.
    
    Harmless smoke wouldn't hinder her in observing anyway. Even as the tendrils and wisps let flickers of memories dance about her mind. Black inky feathers, everywhere, everywhere. A pale man, Tsuru, writhing under him. Whispering sweet nothings, honey words laced with poison. She wasn't smoking his vile concoction, had sworn off such things. Yet...
    
    Her expression betrayed neither interest nor lack thereof. Still, she hadn't waved him away, instead offering a compliment: "I must say though; that is one pretty smile you have. They did well in casting you for your part of the Cheshire Cat." The way she said this was the way a mother would compliment her child. Sweet. Indeed, the young man was one of Arisu's employs, before she had bought the Cafe to be her own. So, while Kumori was a character actor and employee for the little hidey hole, he had yet to be truly part of the Queen's Court. Perhaps that could change.
    
    She let a corner of her mouth twitch into a half smile and patted one of the seats next to her. It stood to her left and just a bit lower than the throne she was occupying. "Take a seat. And, if you'd like, tell me: Who are you? I'd like to know more. Will you walk into my parlour, sweetie?"
    
    
    Will you walk into my parlour? said the Spider to the Fly,
    'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
    The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
    And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there.​

---

• • Out of Character Notes
    • Assuming you aren't Cheshire Cat officially in character, yet. I can edit this if I'm wrong. Fixed.

 

[Kumori]

The choices. Oh! So many!

The Queen was a peculiar being. She seemed to be wearing a mask, and because of this, Kumori felt weird by just being beside her. She did not seem happy, or mad, or sad; and even when she showed a pinch of interest, it appeared as if she had shown none. Nonetheless, Kumori had arrived for a reason, and he did not want to leave before he fulfilled his mission. The boy proceeded to float his way to the Queen and sit beside her, the smoke still coating his body, blurring his shape.

The boy paid close attention to her movements, to her words, and to every one of the guards beside her. He was scared. He was. But even though his was terrified, he did not show it, and he was brave. He was surprised by the fact that she was the first person ever to comment on his wretched smile, an attribute that he hated with all his heart. But the boy did not care for compliments at the moment, and so he proceeded to cover his mouth with a black bandana as he made himself comfortable.

“Casted? Right… There wasn’t much choice after all.” – he would smile under the mask, the outline of his lips visible to those who paid close attention. “I know many things already, but I, too, want to know more!” – He paused for a moment “There are four things I like to do: think and wonder, and wonder and think! Isn’t that marvelous?”

He never considered himself a good actor, but the way things were going, today was the day he would be born again. The Queen’s words betrayed her intentions. Kumori has heard those words many, many times, over and over again. It was never the same, people always said different things, they always flavored their intentions in a different way… but in the end, they all wanted the same exact thing.

“Oh no, no,” –Kumori replied after a pause. “To ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair, can never come down again!”

In an instant, just as he finished his sentence, he got up in a flash, the smoke beside him following his movements. Now he appeared to float in front of the queen, in the air, seemingly using the vapor as a cloud cushion for his body.

“Tell me, oh beautiful scarlet Queen. You seem comfortable enough here… You already rule our plains and forest… our rather creepy, yet lovable cave. Now, how much choice is there - really?” – He looked at her straight in the eyes “I just want some interest in my life.”

 

[Akako]

• • 
    The way he said casted... was the boy coerced into the job? She hadn't questioned Alice about it, turned a blind eye. But if anyone were forced... Don't you dare touch them, you monsters! Why are you doing this to us? It hurts, it hurts. It was important to question things. But it was important to have order too.
    
    "Thinking is a good thing, dearie. Be your own person, think for yourself. But you need to learn how to play well with others too. It's all a balancing act, a tightrope, if you will," she nodded in approval. There was a chuckle, as he got her reference. The entirety of the abandoned mineshaft was a series of tunnels, a webbed cavern... was it not? And it was fitting that she was the spider who weaved and caught flies for her children.
    
    Reaching out a hand, finely manicured fingers tangled themselves in the smoke. "I hope this isn't hurting you, luv'. But, you ask questions of the weak. How much choice is there, really? There's always choices. We always have choices," she hummed airily, as if they were merely speaking of the weather. "Some just choose to believe that the difficult choices do not exist. They choose to believe that the world's forced their hand to accept the easier choice."
    
    "Tell me, baby boy, did you have a choice when you became the Cheshire Cat? Did you join to have some fun? Or was it the easier choice offered to you? Just say the word and I'll make it all go away. I only let those willing, those who chose, to serve under me, after all."

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• • Out of Character Notes
    • Sorry, not a very good post. But I don't like to take too long with replies and I got the point I wanted across.
      
      Marked for Training at 275 words on April 20 2015.